Good thread and tips.

Chocolate chips are available at the Felchlin chocolate factory in Ibach. http://new.felchlin.com/index_de.php...&x25000_ID=164.
They are Swiss-made and you buy them bulk. They are fantastic. They are called Choco Tropfen.

As for measurments, I often use http://allrecipes.com/ to help me out. All their measurements are in US and metric so you can type in the amount of servings and which measurement you prefer. It's been a big help.

I've used the normal white sugar and the normal Rohzucker for many years now and have had no problems with the consistency.

For a vanilla substitute, I've used one package of vanilla sugar for 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring. It works just as well but you might want to decrease the sugar a bit.